Sam L Cohen Foundation
The Sam L. Cohen Foundation is a private foundation based in Portland, Maine. It supports nonprofit organizations serving southern Maine, with grantmaking across arts and culture, civic and community work, education, health and human services, and Jewish culture and traditions.
Sam L Cohen Foundation at a glance
In short: Sam L Cohen Foundation gave $3.3M across 125 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Maine. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,345,408
- +34.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 125
- +33.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,763
- +1.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $27,992,208
- -0.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (30 of 120, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Maine (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sam L Cohen Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a two-step online process. Applicants submit an initial inquiry and, if invited, a full application. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, organizations using an eligible fiscal agent, and qualifying Maine political subdivisions. Applicants must be located in or provide programs or services with direct impact in Cumberland and/or York counties. A prior grantee must have submitted its final report and must not have received a Foundation grant in the previous calendar year; the Foundation also generally does not award grants to the same organization in consecutive years. It does not support annual fund appeals, endowments, or projects requiring a multi-year commitment, and does not support programs that limit access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
- Review Cycle
- The Foundation lists two annual application cycles. Initial inquiries are accepted December 1–January 15 and June 1–July 15; invited full applications are due March 1 and September 1, respectively. Decisions are made in June and November. Deadlines falling on a weekend or holiday move to the next workday.
- Deadline
- The Foundation lists two annual application cycles.
- Contact
Application contact: John Shoos
Mailing address: 22 Free Street Ste 401, Portland, ME 04101
Phone: (207) 871-5600
Website: https://samlcohenfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Sam L Cohen Foundation
Who Sam L Cohen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Youth and Family Outreach ($275K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
518 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 470 grants of 518 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s guidelines focus on organizations located in or providing programs or services with direct impact in Cumberland and/or York counties, Maine. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 125 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sam L Cohen Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 30 of 120 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 18% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 236% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2023) to $3.8M (2021). In 2025 it made 125 grants totaling $3.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Youth and Family Outreach South Portland, ME | Building a Brighter Future Campaign | $275,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Portland, ME | A Place of Growth Capital Campaign | $250,000 |
| Jewish Community Alliance Portland, ME | Addressing Antisemitism | $225,000 |
| Maine Public Portland, ME | Capital Campaign | $125,000 |
| Gulf of Maine Research Institute Portland, ME | Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Portland Parks Conservancy Portland, ME | 21ST Century Community Pool | $100,000 |
| Maine Initiatives Portland, ME | Operating Support | $75,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Portland, ME | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Maine Children's Alliance Augusta, ME | Right from the Start Coalition | $58,333 |
| Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine Augusta, ME | Operating Support | $54,545 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $27,992,208 | $3,995,221 | $4,194,754 | $3,345,408 | 125 | $3,864,571 | $3,712,262 | $1,634,521 |
| 2024 | $28,191,741 | $3,923,912 | $3,293,315 | $2,482,100 | 94 | $2,969,636 | $3,649,189 | $1,613,713 |
| 2023 | $27,561,144 | $2,899,450 | $3,074,430 | $2,316,223 | 112 | $2,787,323 | $2,617,343 | $1,513,676 |
| 2022 | $27,736,124 | $1,991,234 | $4,738,368 | $3,269,500 | 94 | $3,703,581 | $1,006,447 | $1,623,369 |
| 2021 | $30,483,258 | $3,967,796 | $4,489,568 | $3,762,072 | 93 | $4,194,070 | $3,698,600 | $1,930,568 |
| 2020 | $31,005,030 | $2,787,823 | $3,254,900 | $2,508,200 | 153 | — | $2,467,971 | $1,754,252 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sam L Cohen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated core beliefs are that everyone deserves the opportunity for a fulfilling and productive future, family and community are of utmost importance, and giving back to one’s community is a fundamental value. Its five grantmaking areas are arts and culture; civic and community; education; health and human services; and Jewish culture and traditions.
The Foundation values work supporting underserved and underprivileged populations, reducing barriers to fair access, responding to community needs, promoting human rights and understanding, and fostering inclusion. It supports new and ongoing programs, capital improvements, and, for organizations whose missions align with its values, general operations.
Examples of the kinds of organizations it has supported include Youth and Family Outreach, whose mission is to create opportunities that support learning and enhance quality of life for children, teens, and families in Greater Portland; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine, which works to help young people realize their potential as responsible, productive, and caring citizens. Other 2025 grantees include the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, which develops collaborative solutions to ocean challenges, and the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, which helps low-income immigrants improve their legal status and works for more just and humane laws and policies.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation awarded 125 grants totaling $3,345,408. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $275,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The Foundation’s website says responsive requests may be for up to $50,000 and that the average award is less than $15,000.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $275,000 to Youth and Family Outreach for its Building a Brighter Future campaign, $250,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine for its A Place of Growth capital campaign, and $225,000 to Jewish Community Alliance to address antisemitism. Other notable awards included $125,000 to Maine Public for a capital campaign, $100,000 to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute for operating support, and $100,000 to Portland Parks Conservancy for its 21st Century Community Pool.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jerome F. Goldberg as director and chair; Edward K. Simensky as director and treasurer; Jeffrey A. Nathanson as director and president; Sherry P. Broder as director and secretary; and John Shoos as executive director. The Foundation’s website announces Jeannette Andre as its new executive director.
Sam L Cohen Foundation is led by Jeffrey A. Nathanson Esq., Director & President on every filing since 2020; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeffrey A. Nathanson Esq.
Director & President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$19K (2020) → $19K (2025)
John Shoos
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$134K (2020) → $185K (2025)
Jerome F. Goldberg Esq.
Director & Chair
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$19K (2020) → $19K (2025)
Edward K. Simensky CPA
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Sherry P. Broder Esq.
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $185K, to John Shoos (Executive Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sam L Cohen Foundation
How much does Sam L Cohen Foundation give each year?
Sam L Cohen Foundation gave $3.3M across 125 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 94 grants.
What is Sam L Cohen Foundation's typical grant size?
Sam L Cohen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $26,763, across 125 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sam L Cohen Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does Sam L Cohen Foundation give grants?
Sam L Cohen Foundation gives mostly in Maine: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (59 grants), Augusta, ME (13 grants), Biddeford, ME (8 grants) and South Portland, ME (7 grants).
Does Sam L Cohen Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 87% of Sam L Cohen Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (109 of 125) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sam L Cohen Foundation's largest grantees?
Sam L Cohen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Youth and Family Outreach ($275,000), Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine ($250,000) and Jewish Community Alliance ($225,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sam L Cohen Foundation?
Sam L Cohen Foundation reported $28.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sam L Cohen Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated core beliefs are that everyone deserves the opportunity for a fulfilling and productive future, family and community are of utmost importance, and giving back to one’s community is a fundamental value. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sam L Cohen Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a two-step online process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sam L Cohen Foundation's EIN?
Sam L Cohen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2262822. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sam L Cohen Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sam L Cohen Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sam L Cohen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sam-l-cohen-foundation-morg_12707abc643a43b8a41fd16a16fe7ded
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202262822_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sam L Cohen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sam-l-cohen-foundation-morg_12707abc643a43b8a41fd16a16fe7ded},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Sam L Cohen Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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